Have Waterloo Station upgrades finished? Why did it close and how many South West Train services were affected?

UPGRADES at Waterloo Station this summer caused difficulties for commuters as they battled with a reduced service.

Despite the works overrunning during the morning of the big reopening the upgrade is complete. Here's what you need to know...

Chaos continued at Waterloo Station as building works overranCredit: Alamy

How long did the Waterloo Station works last and has the upgrade finished?

The major transport hub was partially closed for the best part of three weeks as the work on 14 platforms ran from August 5.

It had been due to open for usual business on August 29, but commuters faced continued disruption as the platform closures remain in place after the works overran.

But National Rail has announced that the upgrade is complete and routine testing delayed all the platforms fully reopening initially.

There will also be some works on weekends during September and October, but details are yet to be finalised and announced.

The work is part of ambitious plans to create a “spacious, modern and accessible station concourse” by rebuilding the former Eurostar terminal, Waterloo International with trains to the Continent now running from King's Cross St Pancras.

Engineers at Waterloo also plan to extend platforms 1-4 and bring platforms 20-24 back into use, plus introduce new technology to make trains more efficient and improve punctuality.

Platforms are being lengthened at stations along the Reading line to take longer trains with more carriages.

10 out of 25 platforms were shut throughout August as £800million rebuilding works commenceCredit: Alamy

Why did Waterloo station close?

The £800 million Waterloo and South West Upgrade is designed to bring faster and more frequent services with a new fleet of 30 trains, providing 150 extra carriages between London and Windsor.

Waterloo is the UK's busiest station with more than 99 million people passing through each year, but the existing infrastructure was creaking under the strain.

South West Trains operate 1,700 services carrying 650,000 passengers a day, making it the busiest commuter operator in Europe.

Journeys on this line have more than doubled in the last 20 years to 234million a year, and that figure is expected to rise a further 40 per cent by 2043.

The upgrades at Waterloo station are the biggest ever single concentration of work by Network Rail.

Which South West Trains services were cancelled?

During the main works in August, services were drastically reduced as there were fewer platforms in use.